Door hardware mechanism including decorative door knobs and door back plates

ABSTRACT

A lock set for a door predrilled to receive a cylindrical type lock includes a pair of apertured centering plate members which can be mounted over a threaded lock spindle and secured to one another at opposite sides of a predrilled door opening in correctly centered positions. The centering plate members when thus secured together present tubular door knob holder portions constituting a solid anchoring base operable to hold rotatable door knobs and spindle portions in coaxial relationship with the drilled hole and in suitably spaced relation to adjacent door surfaces. Back plates are adjustably supported externally of the door knob holder portions without fastenings to constitute a quality door hardware assembly which can be very quickly and cheaply installed.

United States Patent [151 3,677,593 Wahlberg [451 July 18, 1972 [s41 DOOR HARDWARE MECHANISM 2,3011 10 1/1943 Chesler ..292/|s9.1s

INCLUDING DE T DOOR 1,466,369 8/1923 Montgomery ..292/3se KNOBS AND DOOR BACK PLATES Primary Examiner-Albert G. Craig, Jr.

[72] Inventor: Edward John Wahlberg, Hanover, Mass. Attorney-Munroe H. Hamilton [73] Assignee: Dekhar, lnc., Watertown, Mass. [57] ABSTRACT [22] Filed: 1970 A lock set for a door predrilled to receive a cylindrical type [2|] Appl 102,643 lock includes a pair of apertured centering plate members which can be mounted over a threaded lock spindle and secured to one another at opposite sides of a predrilled door [52] US. 292/357 opening in correctly centered positions. The centering plate [51] Int. ..E05b 15/00 members when thus secured together present tubular door [58] Field of Search ..292/356, 357, 169.17, I69. 18, knob holder portions constituting a solid anchoring base 292/ 169.2 I, 337; 70/448, 45] operable to hold rotatable door knobs and spindle portions in coaxial relationship with the drilled hole and in suitably 5 m- Cited spaced relation to adjacent door surfaces. Back plates are adjustably supported externally of the door knob holder portions UNITED STATES PATENTS without fastenings to constitute a quality door hardware asbl h'h be kl dh l'talld. l,362,669 12/1920 Bradshaw ..292/l69.2l Sam w can my y c y e 3,2 I 0,976 10/1965 Best ..70/45l 2 Clalns, 5 Drawing Figures h 26 z: a M 32 an a? y t "f t f G6 Patented July 18, 1972 3 Shee ts-Sheet l Izweniow Patented July 18, 1972 3,677,593

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 liweiaibz- Edi vaz' d J fi mer Patented July 18, 1972 3 Shee ts-Sheec 3 DOOR HARDWARE MECHANISM INCLUDING DECORATIVE DOOR KNOBS AND DOOR BACK PLATES FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to door hardware and more particularly to lock sets for use especially in doors which have been predrilled to receive standard cylindrical type locks and with which decorative door plates and knobs may be utilized.

In the manufacture of door assemblies presently utilized in the construction industry, it is customary to provide a complete door and door frame unit with the door being prehinged and usually formed with a drilled opening to receive a standard cylindrical type lock. With such a predrilled door, difficulty arises in securing the lock at opposite sides of the door in centered relationship using conventional forms of door knobs and back plates. Where it may be desired to combine with the standard cylinder lock specially formed and decorated door knobs and back plates, the problem becomes more troublesome. This is so because in order to properly fit the lock in its drilled hole in centered relationship, and thereafter locate the back plates and knobs in coaxial relationship at opposite sides of the door, it is necessary for the workman to make a trial installation and mark location of screw holes to be formed. The parts are usually disengaged while the screw holes are formed and thereafter re-assembled. Since this is an operation requiring several minutes at least, the cost of labor is greatly increased. In the case of special decorative components are employed, appearance is important and con ventional installation by means of screws detracts from appearance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, therefore, a chief object of the present invention to provide new and improved door hardware mechanism including a latch set which can be set into a predrilled door and secured in one simple operation in centered relationship without applying screws or other fastenings in the door surfaces.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved lock set combination in which door knobs and back plates are secured without the use of screws or other visible fastenings.

Still another object of the invention is to devise a lock set arrangement which is not only readily installed in a predrilled door opening, but which is also adapted to receive and support special decorative door knobs and backing plates in a great many different forms.

Still a further object of the invention is to devise a lock set with a reduced number of components which are so arranged as to resist loosening or wear over extended periods of use.

With these general and specific objects in mind, [have conceived of a lock set arrangement in which a cylinder lock is combined with a pair of novel centering plates. The plates are designed to be quickly secured together to provide for interlocking engagement with opposite sides of a predrilled door. An important feature of the centering plates is the provision of inwardly projecting parts for engagement at the inner peripheral surface of a predrilled door hole in such a manner that both of the plates are centered in the hole in coaxial relation with the lock spindle when the centering plate members are drawn together and secured.

I have further devised as component or integral parts of these centering plate members special door knob holder portions. With the centering plates securely locked together the holder portions constitute rigid holding and bearing portions against which rotatable door knobs may be instantly positioned and solidly maintained. Outer peripheries of the holder portions are thereafter threaded to adjustably support backing plates in a rapid and simplified manner.

The nature of the invention and its other objects and novel features will be more fully understood and appreciated from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a fragmentary cross sectional view of a door drilled with a hole and having the lock set door knob and backing plate arrangement of the invention combined therewith.

FIG. 2 is another fragmentary cross sectional view taken on the line 22 of FIG. I.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the lock set shown removed from a door hole.

FIG. 5 is a detail perspective view of the centering plate means of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring more in detail to the structure shown in the accompanying drawings, numeral 2 denotes a door of the class commonly employed in the construction industry and preformed with a drilled hole to receive a cylinder lock of conventional type. The door 2 is intended to be illustrative of doors with varying sizes of drilled holes ranging from as small as l ''/a diameter up to 2-inch diameter, 2 56 diameter and larger. Numeral 6 denotes a cylindrical opening which communicates with the hole 4 at right angles thereto and in which may be received a cylinder lock bolt 8 and its retainer 10. In FIGS. 2 and 3, the lock bolt 8 is shown in a normal latched position in a door frame 12. As is customary in lock sets of this type, a spindle I4 is designed to be located through a spindle orifice I6, more clearly shown in FIG. 4. At one side of the cylinder bolt part 8 is a locking pin I8 which is adjustable in and out of a locking part 20 as shown in FIG. 3 to secure the mechanism in a locked position when desired.

In the present invention, I combine with the conventional lock set components above noted, a pair of centering plate members together with specially formed back plates and respective door knobs for use with the centering plates in the manner illustrated in FIGS. l-3, inclusive. The two centering plates are denoted by numerals 22 and 24. Numerals 26 and 28 indicate back plates, and numerals 30 and 32 refer to a pair of specially formed door knobs which may be of the decorative type having various designs and ornamental configurations. These parts are shown in a fully assembled state in FIGS. I and 3 and are further indicated in more detail in the exploded view of FIG. 4.

Considering first the centering plate 22, l construct this member as shown in the Figures noted in the form of a flanged disc having an outer annular flange portion 220 and an inner spindle aperture 36. In accordance with the invention, I further provide at an inner side of the member 22 special plate centering means. In one preferred form, the centering means may comprise an inwardly projecting annular centering body 22b which is co-extensive with the flange portion 220. The portion 22b is constructed of a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the hole 4. For example, slightly less than 2 A: inches so that the rounded or tapered shoulder of portion 22!: may extend into hole 4 and engage against the inner peripheral surface 40 of the hole continuously therearound.

Supported on the annular centering body 22b in diametrically opposed relation are further provided two anchoring posts 38 and 40. The anchoring posts are internally threaded to adjustably retain respective threaded locking elements 42 and 44 which are formed with enlarged retainer caps of heads 46 and 48.

Considering next the centering plate 24, this member is also constructed in the form of a flanged disc which is of the same size and shape as plate 22 having an outer flange portion 24a, an inner spindle aperture 50 and an annular centering body 24b. At points between the flange 24a and the spindle aperture 50, I further provide bean-shaped opening 52 and S4 and the larger sized ends of these bean-shaped holes are arranged in diametrically opposed relation and in a position to register with the caps or heads 46 and 48 of the threaded locking ele ments 42 and 44.

ulna ruse By means of the structural features described, the two centering plates may be located over opposite ends of the spindle 14 against opposite sides of the door and moved toward one another until the caps 46 and 48 of threaded members 42 and 44 in plate 22 pass through the larger sized ends of the beanshaped holes 52 and 54 of plate 24. Plate 24 may then be rotated through a short are of travel to move the caps 46 and 48 into overlapping relation with the smaller sized ends of the bean-shaped holes 52 and 54. The threaded fastenings may then be gradually tightened with the flanged portions of the centering plates overlapping the edges of hole 4 and the plates being drawn together in interlocking relationship. Simultaneously the annular centering portions of the plates are pressed through opposite ends of hole 4 into engagement with the inner peripheral surface 40 of the hole 4 all the way around in a firmly seated manner which results in both of the plates being almost instantly centered and positioned in coaxial rela tion to the hole 4 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3,

I find that by thus securing the centering plates together in the centered relationship described, there is realized a solid anchoring base at opposite outer sides of the door against which all of the remaining components of the lock set includ ing the two back plates and the two door knobs may be quickly and accurately put in place with all of these components being oriented coaxially in a manner not heretofore possible with prior art devices. in thus providing a coaxially integrated lock assembly, I made use of outer sides of the solidly anchored centered plates by locating thereon, preferably as integral parts, a pair of tubular door knob holder portions 60 and 62. These portions are most clearly shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 and as shown in these FIGURES extend around respective threaded surfaces of the spindle 14 throughout a part of their projecting end portions, It will be noted that these tubular portions 60 and 62 are formed with an inner bore whose diameter exceeds the diameter of the spindle 14 a suitable distance to provide annular spaces 60a and 62a most clearly shown in FIG. 3. Cylindrical ends 64 and 66 of door knobs and 32 are internally threaded and are formed with reduced extremities 68 and 70 which are of a size to fit over adjacent spindle portions in the bore of the holder portions 60 and 62 as shown in FIG. 3. As a result of this arrangement of parts, the reduced ends of the door knobs 30 and 32 are closely fitted within the inner peripheral surfaces of the holder portions 60 and 62 and are thus contained in substantially coaxial relation with the spindle and with the centering plates 22 and 24. It will be observed that with the door knobs 30 and 32 threaded on over the spindle as shown, the reduced extensions 68 and 70 are not only held in centered relationship in the hole, but in addition, the annular ends of the holder portions 60 and 62 constitute solid abutting surfaces or stops against which the knobs may be threaded to provide for a predetermined spacing of the door knobs with respect to the respective surfaces of door 2.

in addition to serving as door-knob centering and stop means, the holder portions 60 and 62 may also function to conveniently support and locate back plates positioned between the door knobs and the respective door surfaces. This is, l find readily accomplished by forming outer surfaces of the door knob holder portions 60 and 62 with outer threaded surfaces around which may be received the threaded locking plates 26 and 28 in the manner shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.

It is pointed out that the backing plates 26 and 28 in a preferred fr n of the invention are constructed with outer annular enclosure edges of a size and shape to overlie and cover the flanged portions 22a and 24a in snugly fitted relationship to thereby present a decorated back plate assembly whose appearance is in no way marred by screws or other visible fastening means. It will also be observed that by locating these backing plates in the preferred threaded location indicated in FIG. 3, for example, they also constitute outer retaining surfaces against which the cylindrical ends 64 and 66 of the door knobs may engage when in a suitably stopped or spaced position against the ends of the holder portions 60 and 62.

It will also be noted that the axial length of the holder portions may be varied in accordance with the depth of concavity of the back plates so that a considerable degree of latitude in constructing decorative backing plates with greater or lesser degrees of concavity is feasible.

I may also wish to provide spring members as and 82 which are secured to the centering plates and project outwardly in a position to yieldably contain the backing plates in a desired position of rotation to thus avoid accidental loosening. 1 may also desire to provide openings as 84, 86, 88 and 90 which are located in a suitably registered position with respect to an end of locking member 20 so that from one side of the door, the lock may be disengaged when so desired.

I may further desire to vary some components of the invention in several respects to accommodate varying shapes or sizes of specially designed decorative hardware parts and 1 may also carry out the centering function of the centering plates by utilizing the posts 38 and 40 with a spacing which is chosen in accordance with the door hole size. Thus the posts 38 and 40, shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 are located a distance apart which may be suitable to engage against an inner peripheral surface of a hole drilled with a small size of 1% inches diameter. In such a centering arrangement, I may also utilize two or more centering parts, and various other modifi cations may be made.

lclaim:

I. In a door lock set of the class which includes a cylindrical lock adapted to be secured in a pre-drilled cylindrical hole in a door, a spindle and door knobs and backing plates mounted at the opposite ends of the spindle, wherein the cylindrical hole in the door may be of varying diameters, the combination of a pair of centering plate members having openings for receiving the spindle therethrough, and means on the inner surfaces of each of said plate members for centering the same in the cylindrical hole in the door, said means including an outer flat flange on each of said plate members and a tapered portion extending inwardly of said flat flange, either said tapered portion or said flat flange being engageable with opposite sides of the door, depending upon the diameter of the hole.

2. In a door lock set of the class which includes a cylindrical lock adapted to be secured in a pre-drilled cylindrical hole in a door, a spindle and door knobs and backing plates mounted at the opposite ends of the spindle, wherein the cylindrical hole in the door may be of varying diameters, the combination of a pair of centering plate members having openings for receiving the spindle therethrough, and means on the inner surfaces of each of said plate members for centering the same in the cylindrical hole in the door, said means including an outer circular tapered edge on each of said plate members, each of said tapered edges terminating in an annular flat flange, either of said edges or said flat flanges being engageable with opposite sides of the door, depending on the diameter of the hole. 

1. In a door lock set of the class which includes a cylindrical lock adapted to be secured in a pre-drilled cylindrical hole in a door, a spindle and door knobs and backing plates mounted at the opposite ends of the spindle, wherein the cylindrical hole in the door may be of varying diameters, the combination of a pair of centering plate members having openings for receiving the spindle therethrough, and means on the inner surfaces of each of said plate members for centering the same in the cylindrical hole in the door, said means including an outer flat flange on each of said plate members and a tapered portion extending inwardly of said flat flange, either said tapered portion or said flat flange being engageable with opposite sides of the door, depending upon the diameter of the hole.
 2. In a doOr lock set of the class which includes a cylindrical lock adapted to be secured in a pre-drilled cylindrical hole in a door, a spindle and door knobs and backing plates mounted at the opposite ends of the spindle, wherein the cylindrical hole in the door may be of varying diameters, the combination of a pair of centering plate members having openings for receiving the spindle therethrough, and means on the inner surfaces of each of said plate members for centering the same in the cylindrical hole in the door, said means including an outer circular tapered edge on each of said plate members, each of said tapered edges terminating in an annular flat flange, either of said edges or said flat flanges being engageable with opposite sides of the door, depending on the diameter of the hole. 